By Mark Stokes

Maidstone Rugby Club chairman Andy Golding says he has been left "deflated and demoralised" after a 50-point deduction by the Rugby Football Union.

The club were also given a £2,000 fine after being found guilty of conduct prejudicial to the interests of the Union, following a hearing on Wednesday.

The charges were brought in December after one of their players, Matt Illes, was found not guilty of gouging Gravesend’s former No.8 Clarence Harding during a Kent Cup game in January 2010.

However, the RFU disciplinary panel who heard that case decided that an unidentified Maidstone player had committed the offence which left Mr Harding blind in his right eye and the club were summoned to appear before a three-man panel.

Mr Golding said: "I was astounded. The verdict knocked me back because the RFU guidelines are quite broad, and in some ways, quite vague.

"I did not envisage any punishment at all on the basis that we have maintained all along that while it was an unfortunate and terrible event, it was accidental.

"The whole thing has left me deflated and demoralised."

Mr Golding says the club will wait until they have received the full written judgement before deciding whether to appeal, but admitted: "If the judgement stands, then we would be practically relegated."